by Jay Muhammad
DETROIT—The chilled air outside the Renaissance Marriott hotel here didn’t dampen the warmth of brotherly love showered on the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan as members of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., celebrated him with plaques and awards during a private Feb. 21 meeting.
A standing ovation greeted Minister Farrakhan, who was invited by Presiding International Sports and Entertainment Chair Dr. Mark Stevens, Brother Sean T. Long, Immediate Past Tenth District Representative of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., and members of the fraternity’s Talented Tenth District.
First Vice Grand Basileus Mark Jackson was also in attendance at the gathering on behalf of the fraternity’s Grand Basileus. The meeting occurred during the Nation of Islam’s Saviours’ Day 2026 weekend.
A vibrant and energetic 92-years-young, Minister Farrakhan accepted the awards before proceeding to light up the room with words of wisdom and guidance for an hour!
He spoke about his love for Omega Psi Phi Fraternity and his experience during undergraduate school at Winston Salem Teachers’ College (now a university) as a lampado (pledge)!
While pledging, his Big Brothers instructed him to read Psalm 133, which reads, in part: “How good and pleasant it is when Brothers live together in UNITY! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down upon the collar of his robes.”
Minister Farrakhan stressed that Omega men must work in unity to build their communities. Amidst this warm, inspirational and spiritual delivery, he reminded the men how God is “Omega and Alpha!”
He talked about Jesus and the importance of obeying the Master! To get to Jesus, you must be willing to deny yourself, sacrifice and bear your cross, he said, adding that he has accepted his cross.
While at Winston Salem Teachers’ College, he discovered that some professors were having sex with female students in exchange for “good” grades. Because he spoke out on campus against the behavior, he said he was ultimately blackballed and prevented from completing the pledge process.
The goal of his collegiate sojourn was to become a teacher. Although he did not complete his undergraduate degree, his subsequent Ministry in the Nation of Islam, under the Divine Guidance of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad, Minister Farrakhan grew to become one of the greatest spiritual teachers of all time!
He said that he was a Lamp then, and he is a Lamp now, shining brightly! Minister Farrakhan said when he accepted his fraternity pin, he agreed to receive his membership because Omega Men are Men of Purpose.
“Omega men have contributed a lot to the growth and development of our people and institutions,” he said. “And even though we’ve been unsung heroes, we’ve done so much to make America what America has not yet become.”
On August 26, 2017, Minister Farrakhan received the organization’s highest honor, the prestigious “Lifetime Achievement Award.” He was also presented with a purple and gold Founder’s Robe, fit for a king, the first time in the history of the organization that such an honor was bestowed.
In 2019, he was inducted into the fraternity and during the February Saviours’ Day 2019 keynote address, he displayed to the audience the robe and other gifts given to him by men of Omega.
Brother Jay Muhammad (aka, Shahid M. Allah) is based in Washington, D.C., and attends Mosque No. 4.
